Can You Grow An Avocado Tree In A Pot?

Last Updated on May 8, 2021 by cmoarz

Growing an avocado tree in a pot is possible, but there are some important considerations to make before you get started. It’s true that many plants can be grown in pots, from tomatoes to lavender and more. But with an avocado tree, you have to realize these are tropical plants and most of the world is inhospitable for them. However, there are some things you can do to get a bit of success.

Let’s get started

An avocado tree can either be an easy thing to grow or a difficult one, depending on the type of climate you live in. If you live In a warm, tropical region, then the avocado tree is a super easy thing to grow. In climates like this, you don’t have to do much more than planting it and watch it take off. There’s no need for special care or pruning here because trees just thrive naturally in these regions of the world.

However, if you live somewhere where there are seasons, that can be a bit more difficult. If you live in an area with cold winters and hot summers, then it might not be the best place to grow avocados, even if there is plenty of sunshine during other parts of the year. The reason for this is because in the wintertime these trees need some degree of protection from freezing temperatures. They aren’t capable of living in any weather under 60F.

Unfortunately, we’re not all blessed to live somewhere warm, and we still might want to try our hands at growing an avocado tree. Luckily there are a couple of tricks you can use to grow avocados in colder climates.

Can you grow an avocado tree in a pot?

Yes, you can. All avocado trees need is plenty of sunshine, a bit of water, and warmth! Just like any plant or tree, it can easily be started in a pot.

Actually, it’s a great idea to start an avocado tree! However, Like any tree, it requires far more room than what your little pot will be able to provide. That means throughout its growing life, You will need to constantly transplant it into bigger and bigger pots.

Eventually, you will run into the issue of space inside your house, as well as running out of pots that are feasibly large enough. That’s when it’s time to start thinking about moving it outdoors.

Obviously, this is going to pose a problem 6+ months of the year if you live in the northern hemisphere. But there are things you can do to help it along.

Setting up its outdoor environment.

Depending on where you live, the summer months shouldn’t require much protection against the elements. Your avocado tree should thrive well in the summer months.

But once winter approaches, you’ll need to find a way to protect it against freezing temperatures.

One way to do this is by wrapping it in a heavy cloth and securing the cloth with twine. This isn’t always going to work through depending on how cold the winters are where you live.

You can also set up a greenhouse, which will allow your avocado tree to survive through winter no matter where you live.

For areas that see really cold winters, it’s an excellent option. Glass or plastic, greenhouse are great for your avocado tree. You can also consider building it in the ground if possible since this will better protect against freezing temperatures than just having it on the surface of the soil with no protection from below.

Check online for underground greenhouse plans because they offer far more protection in extremely cold climates, like Canada for instance.

The greenhouse is the best option in our opinion, as one large enough for a tree should give you plenty of space for all your other winter gardening addictions.

The important thing is to keep your avocado tree warm, and with a simple greenhouse heater, that’s an easy thing to do in the northern hemisphere in winter. So check out our article on those here.

You can also use the sun to heat up rocks and large drums of water in the daylight, and circulate it threw out the night. However, that only works when you always get a lot of suns. It’s definitely a system worth putting in place just in case given how easy it is to set up, though.

In conclusion, You can grow an avocado tree in a pot. However, if you live in a cold climate, you’ll need a greenhouse to protect it from the cold so that its roots don’t freeze and the tree dies off. Good luck gardeners, if all is successful, in a few years you’ll have more fresh avocados than you can guac!